


Make You Feel My Love

by HawkinsGal



Category: Ashes to Ashes (UK TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:33:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27990816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkinsGal/pseuds/HawkinsGal
Summary: 7 years later after the events of Series 3 Episode 8 - It's now the 23rd December 1990 in Fenchurch East and we find Gene Hunt coming to a final decision about his future in Fenchurch East but not before he faces one final terrifying showdown with an old nemesis.
Relationships: Alex Drake/Gene Hunt, Gene Hunt & Sam Tyler
Kudos: 5





	Make You Feel My Love

Gene Hunt finally plucked up the courage to enter The Railway Arms, moments after relinquishing Fenchurch East to a DCI named Daniel King - a Manchester born detective just like him. DCI King was around 45-46 years old with medium brown hair. A Manchester City supporter just like Gene, in fact Gene came to realise the two men shared an awful lot in common with each other - both men were argumentative - both had a comparable way of solving cases and both were particularly fond of drinking a lot of wine and whisky.

The only thing the two men did not actually share in common was the fact Daniel had a lady killer status something which Gene didn't. Gene did reluctantly attend a few dates but quite frankly he was never going to follow his heart with any woman. Some of the dates ended awkwardly - some dates ended with a total understanding as he parted ways with them. One date even ended with the woman drunkenly attempting to perform a striptease right in front of him, much to his visible horror and so much so causing him to flee from her as fast as he possibly could!

_23rd December 1990_

_Gene soon accepted his time had finally come to depart Fenchurch East after he and Daniel had taken a very long drive and stopped off at a very familiar Lancashire Farmhouse two days before Christmas. This decision sparked a strange and terrifying change of events which ended in one final dramatic showdown with a certain DCI Jim Keats. Jim's demise ended gruesomely, one of his own doing and a demise which Gene wouldn't dare speak of nevermore._

_For months Daniel was being haunted by nightmares of a fresh-faced young policeman presumably from the 1950s and visions of a weather vane. The young copper's face was the same wherever he saw him, it looked horrifically half blown off or burnt, resembling something from a horror film. He decided not to raise these questions with Gene because he would only result in him being accused of behaving like a right headcase. So he opted to independently do a bit of investigating behind Gene's back. This didn't go down too well with Gene, the moment he realised Daniel was on the verge of letting the devil enter unannounced. Daniel found a vintage photograph of an unidentified farmhouse, which had been left inside the letterbox of his front door, after returning to his flat from an unsuccessful date._

_Now at the farmhouse itself, Jim Keats chillingly emerged from a dark corner of the room, to inform Gene of the devestating news that his remains had been dug up on the same day Alex Drake had died in hospital in 2008. "Speaking of which, gentlemen care to follow me to the living room." Jim led the way to the front living room._

_Keats turned on the old fashioned TV. The first thing it showed was a news broadcast from 2008. None of this made any sense, how a news report was being shown on this TV set. A detective going by the name of DCI Sean Henderson, who was reading out a statement in front of an assemble of reporters "Today I can confirm a body was found here on this farmhouse. We've identified it as that of a young policeman's. From the clothing which were discovered alongside it. We believe this body has been buried here for more than 50 years. Of course we will run more tests first to be sure. We will be releasing another updated statement in the next three to four days once we have confirmation of the name of this person"_

_"You two and your connection. Did you know your body was discovered the same day, Alex died in hospital from her gunshot wound. What a shame you'll never be able to reconnect with her. You're forever confided to watch this place burn to the ground as I destroy every last piece of it. All those memories perishing around you. Oh, one thing's for sure I am going to embrace these moments until there's nothing left for you to hold on to, Gene. Daniel you deserve so much better than to be stuck under Gene's shadow. You would flourish as a detective within my D &C team."_

_"Who's Alex, what happened to her?" Daniel's voice got louder in the darkened living room. He wanted straightforward answers. From what he heard Keats tell Gene, he genuinely believed the secrets Gene had been keeping for the past 7 years were preventing him from returning to the present day, where he could continue to police the streets of Trafford and be reunited with his family._

_Gene couldn't answer nor was he able to find it within himself to look the shocked detective in the eye, while they were watching the news on the TV._

_"Someone he once loved. Then one fateful night he made her leave this place against her will. He's weak Daniel, just like he was when the kids shot him with a shotgun on the day of the Coronation. He never put up a fight. Just stood there paralyzed on the spot like a chicken." Jim grinned wickedly. He gave Gene many opportunities to punch him in the face but he could see that this wasn't going to happen because Gene now lacked strength to fight back._

_"Gene is this true?" Daniel was visibly stunned to hear this bombshell revelation about him._

_"Of course it's true. He wants to keep you here just like he did with other detectives before you." Keats said as he stood alongside Daniel._

_Gene couldn't speak. For a few moments it dawned on him, he needed to regain his breathing. It was as if the ground beneath him was slowly being dug up bit by bit. He can't say he remembers experiencing this horror-like feeling before. It made him feel extremely nauseous as he watched Jim bask in his unofficial confirmed victory._

_On the drive back to Fenchurch East in the Mercedes, Keats forced Gene to sit in the back seat. He was singing along to 'Power' by Snap because that's exactly what he had at that moment. Jim violently shoved Gene over as soon as they entered CID. "Whoops!" He laughed manically before he took it upon himself to trash the office in his madness. Daniel watched on, witnessing the destruction unfolding before his eyes._

_"This place isn't what you believed it was, Daniel...... Here's your answer!.... Aren't the stars beautiful ! " Stars glowed above Jim's head as he revealed the true meaning of Gene's so called 'Kingdom' and it's chasm. Yelling, at where the chequered ceiling should be while he stood on the table. Gene stared at his boots, ashamed. Committing the perfect destruction of Fenchurch East CID was only a matter of time, once he got Daniel to side with him._

_Moments later, things soon took a dramatic turn in Gene's favour when Daniel broke the news he had outsmarted Keats. "i always thought you looked like an outcast and a proper nutcase Jim but I never took you for an actual fool. You honestly thought I would be this stupid to let you talk me into joining D &C. You know, I've never forgotten that smug look you gave when Emma died. You didn't have any sympathy for her at all. You just shrugged your shoulders and moved on to charm the next detective who you caught your attention, who you saw as the weakest link. "_

_Jim's wicked mood disturbingly transformed itself. No one had boldly dared to stand up to him like this since Alex Drake did the last time he saw her. Daniel King was now stepping up to the plate, proving to be a formidable and incredibly brave detective. From the outside Jim looked as if he didn't give a fuck but deep down he was infuriated and was now considering turning up the heat because Daniel was willing to take the fight to him._

_"You'll never get to achieve what you came here to do, James. You see this is what you get for trying to bring my kingdom down again just like you tried to do in 83. You've been done up by a detective who knows your sort and a DCI, who wouldn't hesitate to chuck you out of this building." The situation between the three men was slowly turning into a dangerous showdown._

_"I know everything about you Gene Hunt better than you know yourself. Always playing the hardman, that's why you feel you have to nickname yourself 'The Manc Lion'. I mean look at you now, you're nothing more than a Cowardly Lion. You fear me. You won't admit it but deep down I can tell there's a part of you that wants to pretend none of this is happening" Jim said, stepping forward. He could sense the immense anger in Gene's body language._

_"You're playing mind games with me. Well I've got news for you, you pencil neck twat, I'm not playing them." Gene fought back, he wasn't going to let Jim be victorious. Jim advanced towards him and stared down at his enemy who was now sitting up, his back resting against one of the filing cabinets. He sprung a surprise in front of two detectives by lighting up a cigarette, only he had no intention of smoking it. Instead he chucked it inside the nearest bin and stared coldly and intently at it. Flames soon rapidly formed._

_"Sorry fellas but I'm going to need to turn the heat up to maximum. I find it helps me to do what I always do best...sending people I hate straight to hell" Jim wasn't going down without a fight. Out of nowhere he knocked Daniel over and angrily began a frightening assault on Gene. Daniel dived in and instinctively stamped on Keats' right hand, to weaken him from attacking Gene further. Gene's face had become bruised and he also had a nasty cut above his right eyebrow, by the time Daniel came to his rescue. The flames grew higher. Both men were laid out on the floor. Daniel was the only one unharmed. He tried to drag Gene out of the room but felt Jim's hand grabbing onto his right ankle. His glasses were broken and his hair half burnt. The struggle was intense, part of the ceiling started to collapse. Jim couldn't be helped as he was fately injured._

_"Gene, you have to trust me, I promise I will get us both out of here. Hold tight..." Everything was burning around them. The life and soul was being drained out the building bit by bit. Picking Gene up off the floor was causing difficulty. Surprisingly enough Gene eventually found the strength to get to his feet all because he was hearing a familiar voice in his head, encouraging him to get off his arse and do something._

_"Gene! you'll hurt yourself. Let me help you" Daniel put his arm across the back of Gene's left shoulder and helped to guide him. Daniel found a clear pathway once he managed to kick Jim's hand out of the way._

_"Ha I've won! I've won!" Jim hissed as Daniel managed to get Gene out of the CID main office and the building in the nick of time before part of it blew up. Jim cries weren't heard, soon faded away. Now stood outside the building, Gene watched on with a distraught look, as at least 60% of the station burned to a crisp. Jim Keats was mistaken about destroying everything he built because he was still here standing to fight another day. The station was no more but would be resurrected one day but this wouldn't be down to him anymore, the responsibility of this reshaping would be assigned to someone else instead._

_Gene and Daniel were sat on one of the benches facing what was left on the building as local firefighters attended the scene. Gene was still covered in cuts and bruises. He certainly looked like he had faced the mother of all wars. Gene sighed with deep sadness and regret, gathering his thoughts after today's dramatic events._

_"So what happens now? Am I meant to move on, just like the others before me did?" Daniel asked, wishing to learn of what would become of his fate. He didn't want to think too far ahead of himself. Gene was the keeper of whatever this world, place was and now that he's seen he trusted him enough to provide him with the answers he needed._

_"I think me and you should take a walk." Gene didn't quite provide him with the answers he needed to hear._

_"What? in your condition now. I don't think so. Where do you want to take you?" Daniel expressed concern for his boss._

_"The Railway Arms." The only answer Gene would provide him with._

_Daniel drove the Mercedes to a darkened street. The snow was getting heavier that night. Gene was shivering as he got out the car. The sleeves of his suit jacket was now burned._

_"You really should have let me drive you to the hospital instead. Get yourself checked out" Daniel said. He expressed a worried look regarding Gene's current condition._

_"No chance. I'm fine." Gene immediately ruled out the possibility of him getting checked over for any potential injuries._

_"You don't look it. You took twenty minutes to get into your own car. Anway, why go to a pub of all places?" Daniel couldn't make any sense of this very reason._

_"Because that's what you do, when you finish a job, you go to the pub." Gene's words were somewhat painting a baffling picture to say the least._

_"Is that the pub over there?" Daniel asked, as soon as he saw the glowing lights coming from the windows of a building on the corner of the street._

_"Yes." Gene answered, he couldn't take his eyes off the front of the pub. The many voices coming from inside it were calling his name, summoning him to finally join them inside for a pint and a catch-up. He wondered whether his lack of sleep was causing him to go a bit mad, when hearing these familiar voices in his head. Yet they really were, each and every one of them. Sam was calling him every bloody annoying nickname under the sun. Ray was moaning because he felt left out and Chris was saying about how happy he and Shaz still were. These were followed by the one voice he longed to hear the most; Alex's._

_The two sentences she was telling him were constantly replaying in his mind. "Please don't ever forget me Gene. Remember that I will never stop loving you" He smiled fondly to himself as he remembered one thing, from when they last saw each other. Their goodbye kiss. He knew he should have poured out his feelings more when he kissed those delightful lips of hers._

_"Gene? Are you okay?" Daniel asked while standing alongside him. Gene had been acting weird for the last few minutes, not saying a single word._

_"No going back. This is it." Gene's face lit up. It was like coming home at last._

_"What?" Daniel asked. What is he rambling on about?_

_Gene turned to face him. "Listen, I know this might sound strange Kingy but can you to do one very important thing for me, if it's no trouble... Take care of this place for me."_

_"What? Why me? Why can't I go in there with you?" It dawned on Daniel that the pub represented a significant moment in a detective's life, where once they accept their death from the period of time they come from, they move forward into this afterlife._

_"Because I need someone I can trust to take care of this place. This place doesn't need The Manc Lion anymore. I'm needed where I belong. With a woman that's been a voice in my head that's bossed me around, ever since the very first day I met her...while she was dressed as a prossie with the finest pair of legs and breasts I've ever seen" Gene smiled besottedly, as thousands of memories of her came flooding back in his mind. She really had never left him behind. As a matter of fact she had remained a permanent fixture in his life, in his heart and his mind over the last 7 years. Gene knew he wasn't cut out for what the 1990s brought him. Times were changing. Music sounded shitter than ever. Bloody dance/party music had taken over the radio in CID._

_"I guess this goodbye then, Guv. I'll do my best, in your honour." Daniel shook Gene's hand. "It's been a pleasure to know you Gene Hunt."_

_"You too Kingy. Get yourself back to the car. You don't want to catch a cold." Gene said, as he slowly made his way towards the pub. His last few moments in Fenchurch East slowly began to fade away. He took one last look, seeing Daniel give him a wave, before he stepped through the pub's doors._

**xxx**

As he slowly viewed the inside of the pub. Gene's eyes scanned the room and saw that the pub hadn't changed much with the times, it looked warm and snug as ever along with the addition of two games machine and a widescreen television mounted on the wall. Gene's smile broadened as soon as he saw Sam and Nelson chatting at the bar. The two men turned their heads on the off chance - both getting the shock of their lives, once they saw Gene stood by the door. Looking as if he had been involved in an almighty fight before got to the pub.

"Oh dont mind me, listening to you nattering on. Don't tell me you've got yourself a new haircut, Sammy Boy" Gene noted how well Sam had aged since the last time he saw him. Both men shared a hug.

"Don't tell me you squared up to some southern nonce in a street and told him you'd shove his head down the toilet, if he didn't shut his big gob." Sam randomly tried to guess the explanation for Gene's bruised cheeks and nose.

"Close enough Sammy Boy" Gene implied, not willing to reveal the full details of his showdown with Jim Keats. Perhaps someday he may sit down with Sam, Ray and Chris and tell them over a few pints, how he made sure Keats ultimately got his comeuppance.

"Gene! We would have thrown you a party if we'd have known you were going to be comin through those doors. You do know, a lot's happened since you last saw any of us." Of course Sam was happy to be reunited with his best mate again but he felt it was important to stress the fact everyone had essentially moved on once they adapted to the heaven they entered. Nobody stuck to rules, any copper who stepped into heaven were fundamentally allowed to create their own personal space/ freedom, come as they please. A lot of former coppers appeared and disappeared in a short period of time. Some of whom presumably had wandered in without Gene's guidance.

"Why, what's happened?" Gene's cheerfulness soon dwindled because it all seemed to add up, how he had been left behind by his former colleagues, _bollocks_ he hated this awful feeling. Judging from the look on Sam's face, there was more disappointing news to come.

"Where do I start? Chris and Shaz spend most of their days and nights upstairs. They had two children recently, a boy and girl. The kids certainly take after them. Chris' son is the absolute spitting image of him. Annie's with them at the moment. Ray's still getting his head around the fact that he's still sadly single...no surprises there" Sam can't help but chuckle at the last bit. Ray still hadn't found the right woman to find love with. The former Detective Inspector was incredibly unlucky around women.

"Where's Alex? Thought she might be here in the bar." Gene asked. He was keen to know where she was, seeing as Sam hadn't mention anything about her.

"Alex...hmm...I really don't know where Alex is, Gene." The answer given by Sam. "To tell you the truth, we all could tell she was finding it difficult to settle down no matter how hard she tried to. The only thing that made her smile a lot was whenever she spoke a lot about you when she spent time with me and Annie. No surprise really, given how you were always her favourite subject. Then one day, she suddenly left without saying a word. No one could find her anywhere. I'm really sorry Gene. If we knew she was thinking of leaving, we would have all done our best to stop her." Sam provided Gene with a few details on Alex's time in the pub over the last few years.

"She must have tried to come and find me as soon as she knew she couldn't accept staying in here. Fuck! She is out there alone somewhere while my sorry arse is stuck in here... Look I've gotta find her, Sam before some posh nonce tries to get his grubby hands on hers and does something unforgiveable" On the edge of his seat, Gene was suddenly anxious to leave and go look for her. She can't have gone too far away.

"Guv! Gene! you can't just going storming out of here, go marching around places like a bloody bull in a china shop. It's going to get you absolutely nowhere. You've gotta play this by the book. Take your time, think carefully, where she might be" Sam did whatever he can to calm his friend down. Gene going back outside to the streets of London and confronting any so-and-so southern nonce was going to get him seriously hurt.

"Don't go giving me that watch your back, bollocks. I'm doing this because Alex means the world to me. Believe me I don't want to even think about the likelihood of never finding her again or even worse losing my memories of her. Someone kidnapped her once in 82, of course I ended up rescuing her after the bastard did a runner." Everything in Gene's mind had led up to a sort of declaration of love for Alex. For so long he had his heart set on telling her this in person but now she was absent from his life once more. If he weren't to go and track her down, he knows he would be racked with guilt forever.

"Never had you down as a knight in shining armour, Gene." It didn't take long for Sam to sense an eye-opening change in his friend, a more mature and heroic one.

"There's a lot about me that's changed Sam since you last seen me... and that's thanks to Alex." Gene stated how he became a different person and how Alex helped to open his eyes to the world around him. Made him realise how he needed to maintain his confidence, stay strong and open his heart more.

"Look, wait here, I'll go and get my jacket. I'll come and help you find her. I'm sure she won't be too far away" Sam offered to help his friend in his hour of need. He hurried through one of the doors nearby in the pub, disappearing within a matter of seconds. After a while, for some unknown reason there was no sign of him returning and the truth of this started to get on Gene's nerves.

"Just like old times eh. Nothing ever changes. Leaving me behind on my own" Gene sighed with sadness. This wasn't how he imagined everything would turn out to be like. Sam was just stupidly messing around right now when he should have just ditched that leather jacket of his and accompanied him outside the pub and back onto the streets of Fenchurch East.

Nelson was keeping himself busy at the bar. Wearing one of his legendary Carribbean shirts. He cut short his activities when he noted Gene's loneliness. "You can talk to me mon brave. So you say you've missed Alex?" Nelson gave a knowing smile. Straight away, he acknowledged this rather remarkable change in Gene. Gene wasn't fooling anyone especially Nelson, it had taken him a matter of minutes to work out that his best customer was now a man who was head over heels in love. Fate had obviously tried to weave it's magic during the time in which Gene and Alex originally spent together and was still intent on playing a part in reuniting the pair.

"Nelson, will you stop looking at me as if I'm some hopeless contestant on Blind Date. Yes I missed Alex. I haven't been able to get her out of my head ever since she left to come in here...there's my answer, happy now?" Gene scowled, clearly not best pleased he had an unwanted spotlight hanging over him courtesy of the Jamaican pub barman.

"I hope you find her soon. It's so obvious the two of you belong together. She spoke very fondly of you, shortly after she entered The Railway Arms. When you love somebody it's ultimately about a vibe or a sensation you feel, you wonder whether they're thinking about you and they wonder whether you're thinking about them. You feel what the other person is feeling. I see that with yourself and Alex." Nelson shared one of his 'Never give hope' thoughts.

"You mean like a _connection,_ Nelson."

"Exactly, mon brave."

"She may have behaved like a right Madam Fruitcake when we worked on many cases. Telling me how stuck up and obnoxious I was but still we both got the right results with these cases, thanks to her Psychiatry bollocks. Can't say it was worth arguing with her over them. I guess me and Alex, we just clicked right from the start. I could kind of see a spark in her eyes when me and her had one of our many disagreements. Oh, she definitely fancied me. She definitely wanted a piece of the Gene Genie but me being the stubborn bastard I am, didn't to do sod all about it. We did come close on a number of times but someone kept interrupting us. You know, if she were here now, I'd tell her exactly what she wants to hear from me..." Gene almost blurted out the three words that played on his mind for a long time. He went no further however Nelson had more or less guessed what the DCI was on the brinking of telling him.

This chat with Nelson gave Gene food for thought. Gene decided to help himself to a drink from behind the bar, while he waited for Sam to return - if the boy wonder ever does bother to show his face.

Nelson was now cleaning a few pint glasses at the end of the bar. He watched on towards a crushed and quiet Gene who was still perched alone on the centre by the bar, further drowning his sorrows away and staring fixedly at his pint glass. His heart was now broken at the very thought of possibly never seeing the woman he loved, who he risked everything to be with. Despite clinging onto one last minute miracle, Gene concluded he was probably destined to be alone for eternity.

It was obvious, she had quietly moved further on without him, Sam didn't want to tell him the whole truth. Probably got whisked off her feet by some handsome bastard she met in the bar, who would love her far more better than he possibly could. No one was around to console him, he hated this feeling. Everyone had all buggered off to a different part of the pub. Nelson was soon joined by a mysterious figure who stood alongside him.

"Lovely to see you again... Don't ask...Go to him...He needs you...you need him" Nelson's face lit up and his smile widened as he acknowledged this person, who gave the indication of being close to tears and nervous. He gave this person an encouraging nod towards where Gene was currently sitting.

Gene took a few swallows of his drink and went to pour himself out another glass. Trust him to bugger everything up and end up on his bloody own yet again. He heard someone's footsteps approaching from behind him and instantly assumed it was Nelson, getting ready to sling him out.

"Nelson I'll leave the bar when I'm ready. Pour me out another glass of scotch, will ya. I've got a bloody headache as bigger than the Blackpool Tower" Gene said without addressing, who he believed to be Nelson, face-to-face. His hair was a mess and his eyes were weary.

"What am I going to do with you Gene Hunt?" A woman's voice, a very recognisable suddenly spoke up. The mood in the room suddenly changed in the blink of an eye.

A gobsmacked Gene nearly dropped his glass. His head shot up from the counter in a lightbulb moment. The shocked look on his face certainly summed up his thoughts right at that moment. He had always attempted to imagine in his head how this very moment would play out - Alex's gorgeous smile greeting him as the two meet each other's exquisite gazes. He and Alex standing face to face, both lost for words before they embraced with a hug and then share an unforgettable kiss.

"Oh lord tell me, I'm not having another one of those moments where I hear Bolly's voice, I turn to find she's not really standing behind me and I find I'm losing me marbles for the billionth time." Gene blinked his eyes repeatedly and patted both ears with the palms of his hands, just to make sure he wasn't ridicilously pissed. He got the proof he needed within seconds, when he heard an infectious laugh escape her lips. She was really standing merely inches away from him. He was reminded of how he loved listening to the tone of her voice. _She might be a posh mouthy tart but christ I love listening to that laugh of hers._

"Oh I'm very much here Gene. Turn round and see for yourself." Alex smiled lovingly. She wanted to hold him so much, reacquaint herself with the man she loves.

"Bols you do know if I turn to face you, you might not like what you see of me." Gene said. Worried he might scare her away especially with the absolute mess he looked. His bravado was no more, replaced by shame.

"Gene if you're referring to what happened between you and Keats back in Fenchurch East, you're not going to put me off from looking at your face. In Heaven you can always see what's going on outside these doors. Once I saw what he did to you, I wanted to run out of here, come and find you and make sure Keats was sent back to the D&C where he belongs." Alex had constantly kept an eye on Gene's last 7 years in Fenchurch East. She had seen him at his absolute best, seen him during his unhappy/lonelinest moments and seen him at his funniest.

"I'm flattered Bols. Me and you teaming up, you could have slapped James and then I could have kicked the shit out of him, you know just before he vanished into thick smoke." Watching Alex make suggestions on what type of punishment she would have delivered to Keats for the amount of times when he placed doubts in her head about Gene, made her feel torn on who she should trust the most. Gene felt hugely impressed by her pep talk.

**xxx**

Now reunited, the pair are quick to acknowledge the fact that they had been granted all the time in the world, to reconnect and fall in love with each other for a second time - Needless to say, This shouldn't take them long, as their feelings for one another had remained the same for what seemed like a lifetime.

"Wish I came here sooner. I know I was meant to forget everything, forget about Chris, Ray, Shaz and this place but you Alex Drake proved to be a pain in the arse... well difficult for me to forget. That sort of feeling in my book is something very special, that I've never ever felt before" Gene said. The raw emotion in his voice was unmistakable to hear.

"You're here with me, that's all matters now." Alex said, placing a hand on his right shoulder. He slowly turned to face her and instantly fought back a few emotions as their eyes locked on each other. "You're still the man I love and always will love, Gene. From the very moment we shared that goodbye kiss, you knew you loved me too but you knew you had to make the toughest decision by letting me go. I...I tried so much to move on and find myself again but I couldn't because I wanted you by my side."

"I know, it was hard for me an all', standing there on my own street, me not being able to look back at the pub after you walked inside it. Thank christ we're been given this chance to get our bloody act together. Making up for the years we've missed out on." Gene said, expressing his profound emotions. She looked breathtaking, a million dollars in her white knee length dress. Her brunette hair still the same length like he fondly remembered it.

He knows he should have prepared himself beforehand but as their reunion emerged as a heartfelt one, Gene just couldn't help let the tears momentarily flow. She smiled elegantly and reassuringly as she leaned in to study him closely. He hadn't just taken her by surprise here with his unlikeliest of reactions, he surprised himself as well.

"Gene Hunt crying. Tell me, I'm dreaming." Alex couldn't believe what was happening while she happily admired him. Gene Hunt wasn't a person to let his emotions get the better of him and yet here he was on the verge of sobbing his heart out as their eyes met. Gene considered making the first move towards her but held back, it was left to Alex to reach out to hold him instead. Following her lead, Gene's hand grasped onto her left hip and examined the divine beauty in her eyes as he softly stroked her cheek with his other hand. Neither could take their eyes off one another. Their lingering looks told the complete story of what was on their minds. Alex could hear his heartbeat clearly through his shirt.

"As far as I can see there's no dreaming going on here Bols. Unless I'm wrong and I'm about to wake up back in my old office with a blinding headache and having no memory of what shit I landed myself in, the previous night... " Gene presented a possible alternative, Alex responded with a poker face - She didn't seem to find this anywhere near as funny as one of his normal wisecracking remarks.

Keen to avoid making a further right arsehole of himself, Gene retracted his remark and moved in the right direction again with what he ought to say. "You and me, this is real." Gene said with the gentlest of smiles. They finely laced their fingers together and held them up, closely above Gene's heart first and then above Alex's.

"Just me and you looking forward to our future in new surroundings." Alex responded with her own tender smile. She could tell he obviously hadn't felt this way about any woman, probably not even his ex wife. His steely eyes bored into hers, his intentions were hard to tell right at that moment however Alex had one request, one which she was rather keen to ask him.

"Alex...I" Gene only got as far as uttering her name before she shushed him with her middle finger. He can't say he blames for her wanting to get whatever she wants off her chest.

"Let's have a dance, shall we." Alex was eager to relive the night where they almost shared their first kiss. The difference now being that no one would be knocking at the door/spoil the moment they richly deserve. They now had the wonderful chance to enjoy and re-experience the magic and closeness of that previous night and by the end of the night, they can finally choose to take the next step in their relationship.

"What? Here? Right Now?" Gene asked. _Not another bloody dance._ He knows he should have seen it coming, Alex spurring herself on and inviting him to dance with her.

"Yes. Right here in this room" Alex sniggered loudly when seeing the very funny face he was making. As she gazed up at those magnificent eyes of his - a familiar feeling began to hit her - realising how much she missed the amount of flirting and those blissful moments where they opened up their hearts to each other more than they did with anybody else.

"No, no Gene Hunt does not dance." Thinking off the top of his head, Gene made a typical excuse - the best one he can think of, well, just so he can avoid performing any dance moves. It was a kind offer she made him - one which he would eventually take up soon but for now dancing wasn't the first thing on his mind like it was for Alex. He had hardly danced for years, so he thought he was a bit rusty in that department.

"Yes I know... according to yourself." Alex shook her head disagreeing with him. "You can dance Gene, i think you're just too shy to admit you can." She could see right through him and there was absolutely no chance whatsoever she was going to let him wriggle out of this. He would be dancing with her tonight instead of being perched on his arse.

She freed herself from his embrace and took a step back, her left hand stroked his sideburns and ran her fingers through his hair. Gene met her steady gaze and came to realise he simply longed for her embrace for a second time. Their lingering eye contact and fiery chemistry was easily observable.

"Bollocks, how can I say no to you...when your eyes are bloody begging me to accept your offer Bols." Alex held her hand out to him and led him out of the pub area. She could truly read him like a book - there were a few understandable nerves and the hope of getting the only dance moves he knew right.

"So, where are you leading me Lady Bols?" Gene eagerly anticipated where exactly she was leading him to. He was relieved to know, she was ushering him out the room. He wasn't sure he would have managed another minute of being around the scent of booze. Thank goodness Alex drew away from the bar as hastily as she did.

"Ah that would be telling Gene." Alex gave a knowing smile.

The next room was momentarily unveiled to Gene. The room surprisingly was a replica of Alex's old flat but this one featured more of a romantic Christmas setting which included rose petals and festive intimate lights everywhere you looked, on the tables and on the walls/carpet.

"Christ Bols. You put all of this together?" Without a doubt Gene was speechless. Alex had set up a room exclusively for them and now she was introducing him to it for the very first time.

"Yes, well it was not entirely all my idea. Sam was wiling to help me out because he told me he didn't want to see you acting like a wounded lovesick puppy for the rest of your life in Heaven." Alex gave his hand a squeeze and smiled at him. The one thing she hadn't counted on next was him replying with a gracious hand squeeze of his own. This display of affection from him melted her heart.

"No bloody wonder Sam tried to stop me from storming out because he let me believe you weren't here." Gene knows he ought to be smarting over the fact he had well and truly been played by the two people who cared him about so much but he simply couldn't find it in himself to fly off the handle. What would be the point of getting pissed off over something silly?

"All done to guarantee your happiness." Alex reassures him. "Shall we start?" She gladly took the lead from the get-go. She went to press play on the stereo, choosing the perfect songs for this momentous occasion. She glanced over her shoulder at him from across the room. He looked ridicilously handsome as he removed his jacket and threw it across the armchair.

"Just before we dance Bols - promise me - we're not going to do that lift dance from Dirty Dancing because I mean let's face it, I'm hardly no Patrick Swayze am I and also I don't want to be doing my back in." A chuckle escaped her lips at watching him make her laugh. Gene really didn't class himself as having any sex appeal. She noted he lacked self-esteem and how he needed a push in the right direction when it came to getting him back on track.. It had become a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder on Gene's behalf and him hopefully regaining his ability to be talk dirty and cheeky to her.

She pulled him towards her as the music began to play on the stereo. "Jesus Christ! Alex I'm not some ultrahot prize to be won in a tug of war contest." Gene chuckled away. While the music played on the stereo, Gene cast away any last minute nerves as he surrended himself to the lyrics to the first song. A cute smile soon formed across his lips. He recognised this song, no question. _One of my favourite songs._

"Herb Alpert, This Guy's In Love With You. Bloody nora Alex, you know that Psychology bollocks of yours certainly does work afterall" His mood was now casually beginning to lift, thanks to Alex. His enticing eyes darted between her light brown eyes and her beautiful lips. Those sexy eyelashes of his were too desirable to ignore.

"Correct." She smiled proudly, relieved to know she had no reason to correct him anymore, with regards to pronouncing this word.

They sway their hips in time with the music. She rests her head on his shoulder, similiar to how she did when they last danced. They individually relished this dreamy intimacy in which they were now sharing together. He had to keep nudging himself, to see if this was physically real and he wasn't going to wake up any minute with one of his usual horrible hangovers. He still couldn't believe it, the reality of him holding the woman he loved closely in his arms and the two of them gaining ground for the missed opportunities where they failed to reveal their true feelings for each other.

"I should have let you stay." Gene still couldn't shake off the guilt he felt for encouraging her to accept her fate. Yes this did sound selfish and foolish of him to make this more about him and what he wanted but he soon came to realise this was only as a result of him making the ultimate sacrifice for love.

"Gene, you only done what you thought was the right thing. You can't always keep blaming yourself. I will never let you do that. I lost my life in the future. You lost yours in the past and yet here we are...unbreakable" Alex said in a low voice as she met his gaze for a matter of seconds.

"I tried to forget everything. Kept it bubbled up inside. Fat load of good that bloody did me." Gene let out a big heavy sigh. She was probably bored listening to him, sounding like he was a cheesy song on repeat.

"Oh Gene. We're both here now. I couldn't have wished for a better moment than this, us getting to finish the dance we started all those years ago. Nobody barging in. Nobody knocking at the door. Just me and you. The stage is ours." She needed him to understand, he had nothing to feel guilt-ridden about in the past and that now in the present circumstances they had a future which eagerly awaited them. Alex's heart broke for Gene. His voice was tinged with sadness.

The next song on the stereo was Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx. Gene stayed closemouthed for the duration of this song until the last few lyrics of it. He felt the true meaning of love thanks to this song even they did make you feel like a soppy sod.

Alex felt him rise and place a tender kiss across her forehead. "You're such a soft mare Alex. Sorry if this makes me sound like one as well but you really have no idea how much of a lucky bastard you make me feel" Gene poured his heart out to her. "Should have said earlier...You look absolutely fucking gorgeous by the way, Alex." Gene said, smiling against the left side of her face.

"Mmm Gene, is this you making the effort to persuade me to kiss you?" Alex giggled, she cherished this new-found charming and sweet side of his.

"You bet your sweet derriere Bolly" Gene gave a cheeky wink and grin.

Alex lifted her gaze, fluttering her eyelashes instantly as she aimed to get a better view of his gorgeous facial features. She was drawn to each and every one of them especially his seductive eyes and lips. She was excited at the thought of sharing a lifetime of kisses with him.

"Never change Gene. Never change. That's what I love about you the most. You showing me that you love me just as much as I love you" _Oh god, I told him I love him more times I wanted to and he's staring at me as if he's trying to find the best way to tell me it's probably too soon for him to say those 3 important words._ Alex suddenly panicked, fearing she may have said enough for him to do a runner from her.

Gene's eyes bored into hers. She had to admit the intensity of his stare was making her go incredibly weak at the knees. After processing what she told him, he swallowed hard and finally spoke. A slow wry smile worked it's way across his face. She had nothing to feel embarrassed about.

"So, you gonna kiss me or are you gonna punch me Bolly Knickers?" Gene echoed the very words he originally asked her, back in Fenchurch East where he placed his hand on her breast inside the evidence room on her first day.

"Well you thank your lucky stars I'm not going to punch you but I am going to do something I should have done years ago" Alex smiled and marveled at him before she cupped his face with both hands and pulled his head down to kiss him. She wondered why she hadn't thought 'enough of the talking' and chucked her arms around him much earlier. Ca _n't keep a man like Gene waiting any longer can I._

Gene and Alex never paid the blindest bit of attention to the next song, Your Love is King by Sade, seeing as they were pretty busy savouring the excitement of their first kiss. Alex honestly couldn't get enough of his lush lips. She was enthralled by the sensations he was stirring from within her. The most surprising thing of all she learned about him, was he never once tried to turn their kiss up a notch. He simply wanted them to take things slow and when the time was right - when he knows she was willing to get passionate with him - he would be more than willing to whisk her off to the bedroom and ensure their first night together was very memorable indeed. It was like had the extraordinary ability to read her thoughts.

When they broke for air, Gene is wearing the biggest smile ever and Alex is busy enjoying the feel of their heads resting against each other. "Well that was well worth waiting for." She grinned widely at him with both eyes closed briefly before then slowly opening them, staring into the oceanic pools of his eyes. Of all the people - Gene Hunt - someone who she was always convinced was completely way out of her league when she first encountered him back in 1981. The files she read him, led her to believe he was nothing more than an imaginary construct. Yet here she was nestled warmly in his arms, gazing deeply into his eyes, feeling her love for him blossoming.

"Tell me I'm the best person you've ever kissed and the Gene Genie might just grant you three wishes." Gene needed 100% confirmation - on how giddy he makes her feel with excitement - the amount of times she's dreamed/fantasized about him, how greater the feeling is - each and every time she lusts after him .

There was absolutely no doubt in his mind what she answer intending to give him. He fixed her with a curious stare while awaiting her answer. Hopefully she weren't going to keep him waiting too long this time around. He's reminded of the fact, that back in Fenchurch East, Alex drove him up the wall when making him wait so long to answer one of his questions - he could easily have named the entire Manchester City 1969 FA Cup winning team twice while he waited. Eventually she spoke up, much to his relief. "If I could present an award for Greatest Kisser, you would be my winner, Gene"

Well it was nearabout the answer Gene had been looking from her, for as far he was concerned. He gave a playful smile, as he caught sight of her trying to make her seductive magic and 'come to bed' eyes at him as much as she possibly can. He found her utterly sexy behaving like this in preparation for her to seduce him.

"Here's a thought, you should have 'naughty mare' as your middle name because it kind of suits you Bols. Enticing with them pretty eyes and lips of yours, using your sexy posh bird ways on me. Gives me the right 'orn' it does" Gene whispered softly. His warm breath tickling the side of her neck and ear.

"Gene Hunt are you begging me to lead you to the bedroom... What took you so long?" She asked in a playful manner. She couldn't keep her hands off him or keep her lips away from him as she pulled him down for another kiss. She considered the chances of taking the first step with him.

While they speculated over whether to move their relationship up to the next level - behind the brown framed window door on the left hand side of the room, a few familiar faces had gathered to see what was currently happening between Gene and Alex.

"What's going on? I can't see a bloody single thing in there. Are the Guv and Alex shagging yet?" Ray asked because nobody bothered to give him details on what they could see. Plus his back was starting to hurt due to him squatting at the side of the door.

""Ray! don't be so rude." Shaz disliked Ray's comment straightaway - his problem was he never knew when he went a bit over the top with his comments.

"What? I'm only asking." Ray didn't see no problem in what he said.

"May I remind you Ray, they're our friends not some random couple on the verge of having sex" Shaz gave him a right telling off.

"Maybe we should just leave them to it. I mean the last thing the Guv needs is us lot gatecrashing his and Alex's moment together." Chris believed they shouldn't be there lurking in the doorway.

"Chris is right." Annie and Sam both agreed with him.

In the spur of the moment Alex decided to glance over Gene's shoulder while they carried on dancing the night away. She thought she had heard voices over the music outside the room. Her suspicions were officially confirmed as soon as she heard Sam and Annie both giving Ray a piece of their minds.

"I don't wish to ruin our moment Daddy Bear but I believe the children are spying on us." Alex murmured and directed her nod towards where they were.

"Are they now? Let me deal with this Mummy Bear." Gene winked his eye reassuringly. He pulled out of their embrace and in an assured manner, strolled over to the door, to confront 'the children' for their inappropriate behaviour.

"Mummy and Daddy Bear would like some alone time - so if you don't quite mind mooching off to wherever you like to go, that would be nice. You've got a minute. 59 seconds, 58 seconds...oh and just so you know I'll taking you all off my Christmas cards list, if none of you comply with my request." Ray, Chris, Shaz and Annie left in a hurry. Sam stuck around for another 30 seconds.

"Just thought you should know...I was dragged here." Sam maintained his innocence by sticking his hands in the air.

"I believe you...I owe you a thanks by the way - you know for helping Alex out with the decorations fo this room and putting me right on track - basically telling me to stay."

"No problem. I'm just glad to see the two of you finally enjoying the happiness you deserve."

Gene smiled back at Alex. This beautiful and amazing woman - who was smiling back at him, making him feel as if he had hit the jackpot more than once. "Never bloody thought I'd be cut out for romance since my ex left me. Thought birds would be telling me to piss off after I turned on the 'Gene Genie' charm with them. Never in a million years, Sam, me of all people would fall in love with a posh bird but I have. She's the best that's ever happened to me. Speaking of which..." Gene's eyes were lured towards the new cherry lipstick - which Alex had applied to her lips especially for him.

"Umm Gene...I better be off then. Enjoy your evening... lovebirds" Sam chuckled. He detects his presence isn't perhaps required, seeing as Gene has other priorties to concentrate on. He leaves Gene and Alex to their own devices. Gene shut the door behind him and walks straight back into Alex's arms. She gives him a cheeky squeeze.

"Why don't me and you move this onto the bedroom? Gene?" She makes her intentions crystal clear.

"Best idea you've ever had." Gene intimately smiled before leaning down to kiss her. Their latest kiss quickly becomes more passionate and sexy. Gene pulls away momentarily for a matter of seconds "Or we could just have sex in the living room instead."

"Gene! I'm not shagging you out here." Maybe they could easily try this for another time but now wasn't exactly the best time as far as Alex was concerned. She wanted their first time to be unforgettable. Gene pressed his chest into her back as she led him by the hand towards the bedroom.

"Just so you know, Bols. I'm an absolute lion in the bedroom." Gene said while peppering her cheeks and neck with soft kisses.

"I bet you are." Alex sniggered, she was thoroughly excited as she started to anticipate what kind of lion-in-the-bedroom he would transform himself into - A gentle one she expected.

**End of Chapter**

**All Reviews are Welcome**


End file.
